NFC Playoff Picture after Vikings lose to Lions, Eagles stay in hunt

Here is how the NFC Playoff picture would look like after the Minnesota Vikings handed the Detroit Lions their first win of the season.

Week 13 is officially done and over with in the NFC. The top of the conference remains the same, but there was a shakeup for the bubble teams, especially with the Minnesota Vikings handing the Detroit Lions their first win of the season. That, and the Philadelphia Eagles got a huge win thanks to a solid performance by quarterback Gardner Minshew.

If the season were to end today, here is how the NFC Playoff Picture would look.

NFC Playoff Picture: NFL Division Standings after Week 13

NFC East

1. Dallas Cowboys (8-4)
2. Washington Football Team (6-6)
3. Philadelphia Eagles (6-7)
4. New York Giants (4-8)

NFC North

1. Green Bay Packers (9-3)
2. Minnesota Vikings (5-7)
3. Chicago Bears (4-8)
4. Detroit Lions (1-10-1)

NFC South

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-3)
2. Carolina Panthers (5-7)
3. Atlanta Falcons (5-7)
4. New Orleans Saints (5-7)

NFC West

1. Arizona Cardinals (10-2)
2. Los Angeles Rams (8-4)
3. San Francisco 49ers (6-6)
4. Seattle Seahawks (4-8)

The Vikings may have been dealt a devastating blow in their chances of making the playoffs. They overcame a 20-6 deficit to the Lions, holding a 27-23 lead in the closing seconds of regulation. But, a dumfounding defensive play call left rookie wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown open in the end zone, allowing Goff to throw a completion his way to secure the first win of the Dan Campbell era in Detroit.

Philadelphia was without Jalen Hurts due to an ankle injury, but they received a huge boost from Minshew. The 2019 sixth-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars led the Eagles to points on their first seven possessions of the game, clinching the 33-18 win over the Jets.

The Washington Football Team got a huge, 17-15 win over the Las Vegas Raider to continue their climb not just in the NFC standings, but in the NFC East standings.

Matchups if the NFL Playoffs started today after Week 13

Here’s what the NFL Playoffs would look like on the NFC side of the bracket if the season were to end today.

• (1) Arizona Cardinals — First round bye
• (2) Green Bay Packers vs. (7) San Francisco 49ers
• (3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. (6) Washington Football Team
• (4) Dallas Cowboys vs. (5) Los Angeles Rams

Teams on the bubble:

• (8) Philadelphia Eagles
• (9) Minnesota Vikings
• (10) Carolina Panthers
• (11) Atlanta Falcons
• (12) New Orleans Saints

NFL Playoff format: How many teams make the postseason?

This season, much like last year, seven teams will be eligible to make the NFL Playoff from each conference.

NFL Schedule: How many games are there?

There are 18 weeks in the 2021 season, with each team playing 17 games on their schedule.

NFL tiebreaker scenarios

For division and Wild Card record ties, here is how the seeding will be determined, per NFL.com. Here is how teams are seeded:

1. The division champion with the best record.
2. The division champion with the second-best record.
3. The division champion with the third-best record.
4. The division champion with the fourth-best record.
5. The Wild Card club with the best record.
6. The Wild Card club with the second-best record.
7. The Wild Card club with the third-best record.

Breaking a tie within the division or Wild Card becomes way more complicated, and is determined by any combination of head-to-head record, division record or conference record.